Bhagwad Gita row: India takes up matter with Russia

In the wake of an uproar over a case in a Russian court seeking ban on Bhagwad Gita, Government today termed the complaint as "patently absurd" and expressed confidence that Moscow will resolve the matter "appropriately".

Noting that the matter had been taken up at the "senior levels" of the Russian government, External Affairs Minister S M Krishna told Lok Sabha that the complaint seemed to be the handiwork of "some ignorant and misdirected or motivated individuals".

"While this complaint is patently absurd, we have treated this matter seriously and the Embassy of India (in Moscow) is closely monitoring this legal case," he said, adding that the government fully shared the sentiments expressed by the members on the issue.

"We are confident that our Russian friends, who understand our civilisational values and cultural sensitivities, will resolve this matter appropriately", the Minister said, adding "we do not want to dignify with too much attention some misdirected individuals who have filed an absurd complaint."

Emphasising that Gita was not simply a religious text, he said, "It is one of the defining treatises of Indian thought and described the very soul of our great civilisation. The Gita is far above any cheap propaganda or attacks by the ignorant or the misdirected."

The remark was greeted with thumping of desks by members.

After the statement of the Minister, Leader of Opposition Sushma Swaraj demanded that Gita be declared a 'national book' so that "no country would dare to insult it".